Fried Green Tomatoes with Labneh Cheese and an Olive and Tomato Salsa

Good quality green tomatoes are delicious, they have a slightly sour taste. They make
an excellent chutney and are good in salsas. Crispy fried green tomatoes are a classic
American dish which works brilliantly in this recipe. Labneh cheese balls complement the
texture and flavour of the green tomatoes, with its smooth creaminess and hidden sharp
flavour.

Ingredients

Olive and Tomato Salsa

200g black olives of your choice, de stoned and roughly chopped

400g red tomatoes, finely diced

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped

2 tbsp mint leaves, shredded

juice of 1 lemon

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

couple of generous pinches of Maldon/Murray River/Cornish salt

2 tbsp caster sugar

Fried Green Tomatoes

6 green tomatoes, sliced into slices 1-2cm thick

75g rice flour or plain flour

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 eggs beaten

150g polenta

oil for frying

To Serve

18 small labneh cheese balls

60g fresh salad leaves eg. rocket

deep fried shredded leek

Method

Olive and Tomato Salsa: Place all the ingredients in a bowl and toss them
together until well combined. Cover and leave at room temperature for at least 20
minutes to allow the flavours to mingle. Can be prepared up to 3 hours in advance
after this you may find the tomatoes go soggy.

Green Tomatoes: Place the flour in a bowl or on a plate mixed with the smoked
paprika and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Place the eggs in a large bowl.
Place the polenta in a large bowl or on a plate

Coat the green tomatoes in the flour, then the eggs and finely the polenta
shaking off any excess crumbs.

To Cook: Heat some oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. when hot cook
the tomatoes for up to a minute on each side so that they are golden. Place the
cooked tomatoes on kitchen paper and keep them warm while you cook the
rest.

To Serve: Lay 4-6 slices in an over lapping circle in the centre of each
plate. Place a handful of salad leaves on the slices and top with a labneh cheese.
Garnish with deep-fried shredded leak and scatter the salsa generously around the
plate. Sprinkle over a little paprika. Serve

Tip: The tomatoes can be served on their own with chilli jam or sweet chilli
sauce and sour cream.